Table of Contents
The ODI World Cup 2023 brought forth the long-awaited and intense showdown between India and Pakistan, taking place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
To add to the excitement of one of the most iconic rivalries in the history of sports, a pre-match show featured renowned artists like Sunidhi Chauhan, Arijit Singh, Shankar Mahadevan and Sukhwinder Singh. This grand ceremony, initially scheduled to begin at 12:30 IST, preceded the much-anticipated toss in Ahmedabad. However, there was an unexpected delay in the broadcast of the pre-game show, leaving viewers puzzled about the situation. After a brief wait, Star Sports addressed the situation on social media, confirming that the ceremony would not be televised and was exclusively reserved for the lucky spectators present at the stadium.
“The ceremony at the Narendra Modi Stadium before Match 12 of ICC Men’s CWC 2023 (India vs Pakistan) has been planned for in-stadia fans. The ceremony is not for broadcast,” tweeted Star Sports.
The pre-match ceremony for the #INDvPAK game today will not be televised as it is only for the stadium audience. We have you covered for the rest- the match, the highlights & everything in between!
Tune-in to #INDvPAK in the #WorldCupOnStar
LIVE NOW | Star Sports Network pic.twitter.com/XOVcJoTrma— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 14, 2023
The marquee clash and fans’ disappointment
The India-Pakistan clash is undeniably one of the most significant events in international cricket, consistently capturing the attention of global audiences. Therefore, the decision to exclude the live broadcast of the pre-match ceremony raised questions and left fans disheartened. The disappointment was palpable on various social media platforms as fans expressed their frustration with the choice to limit the ceremony’s visibility to in-stadium attendees.
Also READ: World Cup 2023: Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and other Bollywood stars share their excitement for India vs Pakistan clash
Here’s how the Twitter reacted:
The pre-match ceremony won't be telecast on Star Sports. It's only for fans in the stadium, @JayShah bhai thoda akele main aana kuch baat karni hai side main. #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/Lh9QjeskhK
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) October 14, 2023
BCCI after hyping this ceremony and decided not to telecast on any platform be like :- #StarSports #INDvsPAK #Ahmedabad #NarendraModiStadium #BCCI #JayShah pic.twitter.com/FrlwgSNxwo
— 𝐏ʀᴀᴛʜᴀᴍ 𝕏 (@Pratham_Tweetz) October 14, 2023
#NewsFlash
BCCI decided not to telecast the opening ceremony of the #INDvsPAK cricket match, to preserve the mental health of viewers at home. pic.twitter.com/IB799tsB6T— The Dindu (@TheDindu) October 14, 2023
So they won't telecast the ceremony on TV and it's just for the stadium audience when stadium is still almost empty. These jokers 😭
— Hassan (@Gotoxytop2) October 14, 2023
Opening ceremony will not telecast on tv. Biggest joke 😂😂. #INDvPAK
— kirat_13 (@kirat1313_) October 14, 2023
Fans to BCCI when they cancelled live telecast of pre-match ceremony #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/hXnF2uzx4Q
— Azeem (@AzeemQuraishi13) October 14, 2023
Jay Shah when asked to telecast the pre match ceremony#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/I7jTLa68ke
— Sunil the Cricketer (@1sInto2s) October 14, 2023
The ceremony before #INDvPAK game to not be telecast LIVE on TV.
It will instead be clubbed with Filmfare awards because they also had the same lineup.
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) October 14, 2023
Pre match ceremony ka Telecast dikhaooo😭😭😭😭
— OMI MERA HAI ✨♥️(Biased Neha) (@nehhaaa__) October 14, 2023
what's the point of pre-match ceremony if you aren't going to telecast it????
— mahrukh. (@Mahrukh__Jiya) October 14, 2023
India wins the toss
In the highly awaited fixture, Team India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field first against Pakistan. Opening batter Shubman Gill made a return to the playing XI after recovering from dengue fever, having missed the first two games. On the other hand, Pakistan opted for an unchanged XI, setting the stage for an electrifying encounter.
